kelly campbell Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Just curious for my own learning, I have learned a few but always looking for more
guitarjtb Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Midnight Special. My wife called me "One-song Jimmy" for a long time. Don't start on that one. 20 years later, and I still can't do it well.
BluesKing777 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 There are a few versions - the official first tune that I learned at official lessons and the unofficial first tune I learned from a guy at school before I went to lessons. Unofficial: a shaky 6th string riff conglomeration of Peter Gunn and the Batman Theme (sort of) shown to us mugs that had taught ourselves a cowboy chord or 2, and I mean 2, by the school know-all - you know the guy...good looking, possibly even beautiful, straight A's, captain of any sport he walks near, chess master, head student, top student etc etc etc... and played all the Wes Montgomery tunes on his, of course, Gibson ES 175 with special engraving given to him for his 8th (eighth!!!!) birthday etc...... The official tune at lessons was the absolutely awful, about to give lessons up "Knock, Knock, Who's There?" by Liv Maisson, a pet fave pop tune of the guitar teacher inflicted on all to pass through his doors....... BluesKing777.
kelly campbell Posted October 9, 2014 Author Posted October 9, 2014 I Want To Hold Your Hand (the simple, ez and wrong chords). What was your first song learned on Acoustic? Horse with no name still have a little trouble at times with it...I am new at this but I keep going
E-minor7 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 This is the first one I learned - in a fairly simple fingerpicking version circling in G - A-minor - D. Never knew the original - an older friend taught me - and I always thought it was about Vietnam. This was in the early 70's and we were just big boys, but the song made a huge impression and must been all new. Then 15 years later or so it came from the radio one night - even more amazing to hear it there for the first time. And now apropos this thread I re-checked on the Tune - guess this version is the original, though P.J. Proby did one too. This made me realize it's about the American Civil War (and of course all wars). Any of you know it . . . ? Totally unknown here.
blindboygrunt Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 a real party tune that one em! Knockin on heavens door I think... but I also remember the Peter gunn riff from the days when I didn't know what chords were. and a few acdc riffs. first song that took effort that I remember being very pleased with myself over was john hiatt 'icy blue heart'
EuroAussie Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 I learnt a lot of parts or riffs of songs, was happy to play just that over and over at beginning. But I think first full song was actually 'Doll Parts' by Hole. (keep in mind I got inspired to play by the MTV Unplugged era) EA
E-minor7 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 a real party tune that one em! Knockin on heavens door I think... but I also remember the Peter gunn riff from the days when I didn't know what chords were. and a few acdc riffs. first song that took effort that I remember being very pleased with myself over was john hiatt 'icy blue heart' Knocking on Heavens Door is the same chords, only the other way around. Did you know 'my' tune. .
GuitarLight Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Helplessly Hoping.....Crosby Stills, & Nash https://www.youtube....h?v=doIEwzc6k_k
E-minor7 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Helplessly Hoping.....Crosby Stills, & Nash https://www.youtube....h?v=doIEwzc6k_k Magnificent tune - always inspiring to play, GLight. .
flatbaroque Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Maybe "House of the rising sun"...when the Animals had a hit....there was probably something easier than that..cause the F chord would have been a challenge....but I can't remember earlier. I remember when I was about 12 my Auntie's boyfriend showed me an "Em" chord - before I had a guitar, he was a player and had a guitar...I thought that was pretty good when I strummed that.So I guess the "Em" chord was my first song. A step up from John Cage's 3'42" or whatever its called.
L8_4thesh0w Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 If parts of 2 tunes make 1...Classical Gas & Time In A Bottle. I can't play the 2nd for the life of me now & I'm very rusty on the other. My teacher actually made up diagrams & I still have them somewhere. Maybe I could learn it again. On electric it was It Don't Come Easy by Ringo. I picked that 1 up on my own. Σß
Slinky1 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Midnight Special. My wife called me "One-song Jimmy" for a long time. Don't start on that one. 20 years later, and I still can't do it well. That is funny!!! I used to be called, "one speed Rob"!
Wee Davy Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Frankie and Johnny My uncle taught me, even though he was a piano and saxophone player. He painstakingly went throught the chords on the piano and then transposed them for guitar.
j45nick Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 "500 Miles", by Hedy West (and covered by a lot of people, including PP&M). Got into the Child ballads (thanks to John Jacob Niles) and traditional American ballads collected and transcribed by John and Alan Lomax about the same time.
zombywoof Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 It was either Gallis Pole by Leadbelly or Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton. Just a couple of chords shown to me by the friend of the family who gave me the old archtop they had sitting in a closet. I strummed them with my thumb.
zombywoof Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Midnight Special. My wife called me "One-song Jimmy" for a long time. Don't start on that one. 20 years later, and I still can't do it well. At my first gig in 1966 we did not have near enough songs to pull it off. So we played them all with vocals and then as instrumentals.
AnneS Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 First, Down in the Valley (G- D7- G), followed closely by Red River Valley (D- A- D- D7- G- D- A- D). I remember tackling Em and B7 with Greensleeves ("Alas my love, you do me wrong to cast me off discourteously,") which was handy the next Christmas when I recognized it ("What child is this who lays to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?"). I was 7 years old, and that was way before I got my own transistor radio. First song I remember learning that was I knew had been on the radio was I Want to Hold Your Hand. I didn't like it though, so I was glad to hear Marty Robbins on my parents' stereo and learn Streets of Laredo by ear. Later, by the time the Johns Denver and Prine made it to me, it was clear I'd Rather Be a Cowboy or an Angel From Montgomery. For me, it was about going somewhere in a song, into someone else's shoes. Maybe that's why the Beatles never did much for me. "Come and sit by my side if you love me..." vs "I wanna hold your hand- ooohh..."? Did I mention I was 7???
Rambler Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 The first tune I could play thorugh the changes on was 'Helpless' by Old Nell. The first tune I learned to fingerpick was Blind Willie's Satesboro blues (ahhh).
zombywoof Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 The first tune I could play thorugh the changes on was 'Helpless' by Old Nell. The first tune I learned to fingerpick was Blind Willie's Satesboro blues (ahhh). My first fingerpicker was Son House's Death Letter Blues (which I figured out in regular tuning without a slide). That would have been around late 1963 or early 1964.
blindboygrunt Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 The first tune I could play thorugh the changes on was 'Helpless' by Old Nell. The first tune I learned to fingerpick was Blind Willie's Satesboro blues (ahhh). statesboro blues is tricky to get the timing with the lyrics. The momma died n left me poppa died n left me etc. I trip on the carpet with that part :-/
PrairieSchooner Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 500 Miles. "If you miss the train I'm on..." My wife still laughs about the number of times she heard that song.
Pittgibson45 Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 I remember learning Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles and My Sweet Lord by George Harrison kind of at the same time. Then as soon as I learned the B7 I learned Folsom Prison Blues. This was the mid 90's and none of my friends new any of those songs, but that was the music I was into. When the Howard Stern movie Private Parts came out Smoke On The Water was on the sound track, someone had the sound track and we figured out the chords, so that was the first song I ever learned to play on electric guitar. We went away for a week end church retreat and our little worship band played Smoke on the Water all weekend. It was a blast and I don't think our grown up chaperons liked it too much. That same weekend I learned a song based on the chord progression of The Needle and the Damage Done, but the words were the words to Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.